Europe Promo has been extended.

[pratzert]

I juist checked the Oceania website and they have the "$2,000 off with Free Airfare Two for One" promo.

 

It was to end yesterday, Aug.31st, but they have extended it to Dec.31, 2010 now.

 

http://www.oceaniacruises.com/findcruise/westernmediterranean/ins100917/fares.aspx

 

We felt the pressure to book by yesterday and were told that there was "No Way" Oceania would extend this offer beyond yesterday.

 

Now that they have, I feel a little like I've been slapped in the face.

 

Ya... I feel the rate is decent, but I kinda feel like I just left a car dealership where the salesman keeps insisting that if I don't buy the car "right now", the price will never be the same.

 

I am excited about our cruise, but I can't help but feel a let down.

[Paulchili]

Maybe the bookings for 2010 are not as strong as we were lead to believe?

[pratzert]

Maybe the bookings for 2010 are not as strong as we were lead to believe?

 

No doubt that is it..... and that's why I feel disappointed.

 

You know the feeling when you finally take the plunge and buy something when you think it's "On Sale" this weekend Only. You go to the store a week later and see it's still on sale and you feel like you didn't really get that bargain after all.

 

It's the same sort of feeling you get when you learn that the item you just bought at a great "reduction" had actually been increased in price by 50% right before they put it on sale for 40% off.

 

Well, if I out a positive spin on it... if the bookings are way down on my cruise.. maybe... just maybe.... we'll be offered a terrific price on a balcony upgrade.

[laurieb]

I'm not at all surprised that it has been extended. That may be a good thing though, especially if they decide on the need to offer any additional perks to fill up the ships.

[pratzert]

Yes... they may just throw in more OBC's and Prepaid Gratuities to sweeten the pot and attract bookings.

[lunarella]

I checked the Oceania fares for the cruise I reserved -- Scandinavian Splendors June 16, 2010 -- and the website says that all of the cabins are waitlisted and there is no promotional fare listed. Some of the other sailings for this cruise still have the 2 for 1 promotional fares listed. So maybe it depends on the bookings for a particular sailing ... or maybe the website is in error ... but if there is no error, I am really happy that I booked before the August 31st deadline.

[pratzert]

I checked the Oceania fares for the cruise I reserved -- Scandinavian Splendors June 16, 2010 -- and the website says that all of the cabins are waitlisted and there is no promotional fare listed. Some of the other sailings for this cruise still have the 2 for 1 promotional fares listed. So maybe it depends on the bookings for a particular sailing ... or maybe the website is in error ... but if there is no error, I am really happy that I booked before the August 31st deadline.

 

It looks like your cruise is listed under their "Promos" as a "European Sojourn" and the promo says $1,000 off.

 

My cruise is listed in the Promos sections under the heading of "Mediterranean & Scandinavian Discoveries" and offers a $2,000 discount. All of the Sailings previously listed under the "European 2010" sale with the $2,000 off two for one and free airfare are still listed at the same special reduced price.

 

On "my" sailing, Sept. 17th, 2010, it still says $2,000 off two for one and "free" airfare ( which we all know is not really "free" but merely "included" in the advertised price).

 

It depends on which "Promo" section your cruise falls under. Your itineerary and mine weren't in the same promo as far as I can tell.

 

What was the promo offer on your prior to Aug.31st ? Was it $2,000 off or $1,000 off ?

[suec12]

I started a thread trying to get an idea on how booked up the different cruises are at this point - well of course it is an imperfect science since we can't see all the bookings - we only know when a category gets sold out or wait listed. It seems a few of the cruises are pretty full - Vineyard and Vistas, the Sept 22 Istanbul to Athens that I am on - but there must still be alot of availability on most sailings if they extended the offer.

[Judyumcer@aol.com]

We booked before Aug. 31 2009 for 10/01/10 and got the gratuties included along with the $2,000 savings and I think free air fare, but we make our own air w/FF miles, so they give us an air credit. Now, all they need to do to fill those ships is include free shore excursions as Regent is doing. Every ship would be filled! Judy

[pratzert]

We booked before Aug. 31 2009 for 10/01/10 and got the gratuties included along with the $2,000 savings and I think free air fare, but we make our own air w/FF miles, so they give us an air credit. Now, all they need to do to fill those ships is include free shore excursions as Regent is doing. Every ship would be filled! Judy

 

Judyumcer,

 

I agree !

 

The biggest and most consistant complaints I have read about with Oceania has been:

 

1.) Their shore excursions are much more expensive than other lines.

2.) Their shore excursions are not even that good compared to

other lines.

 

That has been about the extent of the "complaints" about Oceania that I have gleened from the forums.

 

I guess one way to avoinf that is to arraneg our own excursions.

 

If they can fix the pricing and quality of their shore excursions, they would have a "Total Package".

 

Oh.. and INCLUDE airport transfers as other lines do. "O" wants $200 Per Person for transfers. Pretty steep.

[ShopperfiendTO]

Back on topic, I think the cure for feeling let down by price incentive extensions is to pretty much disregard the deadline date and ask yourself: "Would I be happy with paying this price for the cruise even if the stranger in the same cabin next door paid less for it?" If you would, then really you have nothing to regret because it is the good value that you had thought it to be.

 

Trust me, I've had similar feelings as you on other types of purchases (mostly electronic, like for memory cards on sale!) and have learned to really just ask myself "Is this a good price for what I'm getting?" If it is, then I buy it. If it goes down later, then I buy another or just shrug that the price difference is the cost of having the ability to use it that much earlier. In the cruise context, it's the price of knowing you'll be cruising earlier, and perhaps locking in a preferred cabin before the people who booked in the extended period could select your cabin.

 

Anyway, my message is not to linger because it won't make it any better. Just enjoy and look forward if the price was good, even though it could have been better, or cancel and find something better.:)

[StanandJim]

The biggest and most consistant complaints I have read about with Oceania has been:

 

1.) Their shore excursions are much more expensive than other lines.

2.) Their shore excursions are not even that good compared to

other lines.

 

That has been about the extent of the "complaints" about Oceania that I have gleened from the forums.

 

I guess one way to avoinf that is to arraneg our own excursions.

 

If they can fix the pricing and quality of their shore excursions, they would have a "Total Package".

 

Oh.. and INCLUDE airport transfers as other lines do. "O" wants $200 Per Person for transfers. Pretty steep.

 

pratzert

 

Meeting your demands would result in a near perfect package.....although few of us would get to experience it before the bankruptcy proceedings started :eek:

 

Oceania must find that happy compromise between what we want and what they can afford to offer, based on the fares that we pay. :o

 

Oceanias' comparitively small number of passengers naturally raises the cost per person, as does the great diversity of the ports that are frequented.

 

If you can, say, guarantee the tour company 3000 heads every Wednesday in St. Thomas, you automatically get a very low cost basis. Moving 250 between London and Dover twice a month is a very different thing.

 

So many of us opting to "do our own thing" regarding tours and transfers also has a negative impact on the cost per passenger. Then, as the tour desk is not staffed by volunteers, some sort of profit margin must be applied. Yet, however uncompetitive that final rate is , these services must be offered, if only as a convenience to those who don't wish to do their own planning.

 

As in so many areas of life, if you dont want to do the leg work, you will wind up paying for it, somehow.

[pratzert]

StanandJim,

 

Yep ! I understand and agree with you.

 

It's a difficult balance... I'm sure that "O" does not want to get a reputation as the line that charges too much for lousy Excursions and they try their best.

 

Well... actually the excursions are not provided by "O" from what I've read, but a contractor that does the excursions for them.

 

I don't know if that is how it is done on Azamara, who, based on the posts I've read, has it honed in better on the excursions a little more in terms of cost and quality. But then again, "O" has honed so many other things... especially food/dining.

 

But heck... not everything is perfect.

 

I chose "O" for their overall rating and reviews. I'm sure the excursions will be fine....... I don't have any personal experience to judge them on and as they say... ignorance is bliss.:)

 

I'm looking forward to having lunch on a seaside cliff with a fine glass of red vino !

 

Thanks for all the comments......

[Timtammi]

The category I have booked on the cruise I have booked for 2010 has gone up even though it still says the promo applies the price quoted on the website is now about $300 pp more.

[1985rz1]

The category I have booked on the cruise I have booked for 2010 has gone up even though it still says the promo applies the price quoted on the website is now about $300 pp more.

 

You need to see if your original cruise invoice had the taxes and fees added as a separate line item, because Oceania recently changed its pricing structure so that those fees are now included in the cruise fare. So the cruise fare may look higher but in reality the bottom line is that the total cost is same since the taxes and fees are accounted for in the cruise fare whereas they were an add-on before.

[laurieb]

I can only look at the excursions offered this year, and to be honest they don't look overpriced to me compared to other cruiselines. That being said, we prefer to book our own, but in a pinch I think that O's aren't too bad.

[Wildblue]

Yeah, I felt some pressure to buy before 31 Aug also, but.. it's all good. I guess that's one of the big purposes of sales. If nothing else, the category(s) I wanted are booked up, so I got in while my choice was still available. We'll see how the rest of the ship books up, now. (or not)

 

maybe... just maybe.... we'll be offered a terrific price on a balcony upgrade.

Oh, that would be SOOOO nice! I sooo want a balcony, but have a tough time coming up with the funds.

[meow!]

I juist checked the Oceania website and they have the "$2,000 off with Free Airfare Two for One" promo.

 

It was to end yesterday, Aug.31st, but they have extended it to Dec.31, 2010 now.

.

Isn't this surprising? ... (management will power)

Is this surprising? ... (market reality)

Or is this altogether a marketing ploy? ... (I don't know but plausible)

[azkitty]

The 2010 sale was not totally extended as I see it. Not all 2010 Med. cruises are listed and some have less of a discount.

 

Oceania having small ships has unique itineraries especially in the Med. and many of the port stops are impossible to find with other cruise lines, ie. the 10/04/2010 Athens to Rome, which includes Israel, Syria and Egypt, etc. This cruise is about full with a wait list for many categories and no longer on sale.

 

Their tours may be pricey, but a lot of people just book their own independently ahead of time online. To get included tours, you will be paying a lot more as on Regent and Silverseas.

[pratzert]

I guess they extended the sale for some of the sailings which have slow bookings.... and snuck in a little increase on some others.

[LAexNY]

I guess they extended the sale for some of the sailings which have slow bookings.... and snuck in a little increase on some others.

 

Gee, it almost sounds as if they are trying to run a business! Shocking!

[pratzert]

Gee, it almost sounds as if they are trying to run a business! Shocking!

 

Ya think ? :cool:

[TERubacky]

I guess they extended the sale for some of the sailings which have slow bookings.... and snuck in a little increase on some others.

 

Actually,

 

more than 40% of the sailings increased in price and a total of 32 are already sold out.

 

Best,

 

Tim

PCH

[pratzert]

Actually,

 

more than 40% of the sailings increased in price and a total of 32 are already sold out.

 

Best,

 

Tim

PCH

 

All I can say is..... WOW !

[dino2067]

All of the Sailings previously listed under the "European 2010" sale with the $2,000 off two for one and free airfare are still listed at the same special reduced price.

 

Of the 40 itins originally listed under the 2K promo, only 28 remain...7 itins are now listed under the 1K promo and 5 itins are no longer listed under either of these two promos.

 

Kathleen